Known electrowetting display devices include two support plates. In examples, a pattern of walls is arranged on one of the support plates, the pattern defining picture elements of the display device. An area defined by the walls of a picture element, also known as a pixel, is called the display area, over which a display effect occurs. The walls of the picture elements may be made of a hydrophilic material. The area of the support plate in the display area may to a large extent be hydrophobic for a proper operation of the picture element. During manufacture the area of the support plate where the picture elements are located is covered by a hydrophobic layer. The walls are made on this layer by depositing a layer of wall material on the hydrophobic layer and patterning the layer of wall material using for example a photolithographic method.
To improve adhesion between the layer of wall material and the hydrophobic layer, it is known to lower the hydrophobicity of the hydrophobic layer prior to applying the layer of wall material. After the formation of the walls, the area of the hydrophobic layer between the walls is annealed to regain its hydrophobicity. However, the quality of display devices made using this method is not optimum.
It is desirable to provide an improved method for manufacturing an electrowetting display device.